Toormina Hotel

Toormina Hotel is the locals' pub on Minorca Place, a big family-friendly bistro and beer garden with a retractable roof that keeps the outdoor area usable in most weather. Dogs on lead are welcome in the beer garden, and there is even a self-service dog wash on site, which tells you how seriously this Coffs Coast community hub takes its canine trade.

The dog setup

Leashed dogs are permitted in the outdoor beer garden only, not inside the bistro, bar or gaming rooms. The garden is spacious with plenty of table room for a dog to settle at your feet, and water bowls are generally available if you ask staff. The beer garden sits next to an undercover playground, so expect kids and prams in the mix, particularly on weekends. The on-site dog wash is a practical bonus after a sandy beach session, with the whole setup running from 10am until midnight daily.

Worth knowing

The menu is classic pub done well: the pork belly salad and smoked BBQ wings get regular praise, and trivia nights and a games room keep the humans busy. Weeknights and weekday lunches are calmer, while weekend evenings and trivia nights fill the beer garden fast, so go early with a dog.

Max: stick to the beer garden tables away from the playground gate, it gets a lot of foot traffic on weekend afternoons.

Getting there and parking

The hotel is at 1 Minorca Place, Toormina, just off Hogbin Drive near Toormina Gardens shopping centre, with ample free on-site parking.

Pair it with

Boambee Beach is close by for a walk or paddle first: the Boambee off dog lead beach allows off-lead time on the sand, and the wash back at the hotel makes sense of it. Toormina Reserve dog park covers a grass run nearby, and Soley's On The Creek is the local coffee alternative.

More options are on the NSW dog friendly pubs list, or browse dog friendly Toormina.